Improvement in feeders for repeating fire-arms



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FEEDER FOR REPBATING FIRE ARMS No. 110,338. Patented Dec. 20, 1870.

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FEEDER FOR REPEATING FIRE ARMS.- No. 110,338. P Patented M120, 1870..

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

LEWIS WELLS BROADWELL, OF OARLSRUHE, GRAND DUGHY OF BADEN.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEEDERS FOR REPEATING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 110,338, dated December20, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS WELLs BROAD- WELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, now residing in Carlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Feeding-Cylinders for Gatlingand other Guns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, formingpart of this symcification, and in which Figure 1 represents apartially-sectional elevation of my improved feeding-cylinder and itstable or support as applied to a Gatling gun; Fig. 2, a plan of saidtable detached; Fig. 3, a vertical section of the same at right anglesto Fig. 1, through the line as w in Fig. 4, which represents ahorizontal section through the feeding-cylinder.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention consists in a revolving feedin g-cylinder for Gatling andother machine guns, which is composed of a tube having arranged radiallyaround it feeding-chambers tapering inward, the whole being suitablybraced top and bottom, and connected with the tube for travel on or overa fixed bottom plate, and around a bush or journal working on a centralpivot, which also occupies afixed relation separate and distinct fromthat of the bottom plate to which the bush is secured, and which has afeed-hole made in or through it.

The invention also includes a special and advantageous construction of atable or support, in combination with the revolving feeding-cylinder;likewise a downward projection or lip on said table for preventing thepremature entry of the cartridges into the barrels of the gun.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, 0 represents thefeeding-cylinder, which is composed, in part, of a metallic tube, a,that has attached to its lower end an interior projecting flange orring, I), which is clamped, with freedom to turn in common with thecylinder, between a flanged brass or other suitable metal bush, 0, and abottom plate, (I, which is secured by screws or otherwise to the bush,that forms a journal, and receives up within it a center or pivot pin,6, fast to the table A. Arranged in a radial manner around the tube a,so as to turn with it, are the cartridge holding and feeding cases orchambers f, of the configuration represented in Fig. 4, having theirnarrowest port-ions inward, and of the depth of the tube. Saidfeeding-cases are se cured in position by means of a bottom outsidering, g, and a top plate, h, made with an external annular flange, t,the whole being united by soldering or otherwise, and the top plate,h,being similarly fastened by a flange, 7:, to the tube a. Each feed orfeeding case f is provided with a sliding weight, I, having an outsidelip or hand, m, fastened thereto. These weights rest upon the columns ofcartridges in the feed-cases, and, when they are brought successivelyover or in line with the feed-hole in the table A, force the cartridgesquickly into the gun. The sliding weights Z also serve to facilitate theloading or filling of the feed-cases, which, when full, have thecartridges in them held free from rattle or shake, or are protected frominjury by means of springs n, arranged at the top of each feedcase.

Ribs may be provided on the inside of the cases f, for the purpose ofreducing friction to facilitate the fall of the cartridges.

Arranged externally around the ring g, and fast to it, is a series offiat projections, 0, cor responding in number to the feed-cases f, anddisposed opposite the longitudinal slots 19 therein, which admits of thehands m being slid up or down. The disposition of the cartridges in thefeed-cases is represented in Figs. 1 and of the drawing.

The bottom plate, d,has a cartridge delivery or feed opening, q, in it,of sufiicient area to admit of a cartridge freely passing through itwhen the cylinder with its feed-chambers are turned to bring afeed-chamber over said openin g. At the bottom of this plate are stripsor pieces 1 1', which fit into corresponding recesses s s in the tableA,and whereby the open ing q is held in line over a feed hole or open ing,15, in the table.

The table A, on which the cylinder 0 is sup ported and turns around thepin 0 as a center of motion, is provided on its under side or interiorwith an ejector, a, which forces the extracted shells from theextractors, and thereby prevents them from interfering with the workingof the gun. It is also provided at the forward end of the feed hole orpassage 15 through it with a downwardprojection or lip, E, which serves,as it were, to close the forward end of said feed-hole and prevent eartridges from prematurely entering the barrels of the gun as said barrelspass such, point or feed-hole. This obviates much difficulty and delayin firing the gun, the relationof which latter and its barrels to thetable A, feed-hole t therein, ejector u, and downward projection or lipE is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing.

The downward projection or lip E works in a groove cut in the forwardend of a revolving cartridge-carrier connected with or forming part ofthe gun. This projection is made thicker at bottom to form a frictionalsurface for the points of the balls asthe cartridges fall, and thus, orpartly at least, counteract the natural tendency of the forward ends ofthe cartridges to fall quicker than their heads, which are lighter. Thiscauses the cartridges to drop horizontally into the carrier, which isindispensable to the successful working of the gun.

The feed-table A is, furthermore, provided with a hooked lever, e, whichserves to lock down the table A when the gun is being fired, said hookedlever entering a slot cut for that purpose in the frame of the gun, andbeing swung out of lock with the frame when required.

The operation of my improved feeder is as follows: A loaded cylinder, 0,is taken by a handle, 20, at top, and placed on the table A so that thepivot e enters the bush or journal 0, when the cylinder is revolveduntil the projections r 7' drop into the recessess s. The man sitting onthe trail of the carriage then re volves the gun with his right hand,and the cylinder 0 with his left hand. To revolve the latter he presseswith his thumb against a curved projecting end of the one strip or piecer, and with his forefinger againstthe nearest flat projection 0 on thering g, andthen brings his finger and thumb together, which, by reasonof the piece r being fixed, causes the cylinder to be turned, every timesuch action is repeated being just suflicient to bring a fresh feed-casef over the feed holes q and t, causing their contents to fall into thegun, which is fired in rapid succession. 7

What is here claimed, and desired to be socured by Letters Patent, is

l. The revolving feeding-cylinder constructed and operated substantiallyas described, and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The table or support A, in combination with the revolving feeding-cylinder, essentially as shown and described.

3. The under projection or lip, E, as shown, and for the objectspecified.

LEWIS WELLS BROADWELL.

Witnesses:

W. H. TALBOTT, JOHN LOVE.

